In an effort to help
concrete producers reduce their carbon footprint, the National Ready Mixed
Concrete Association (NRMCA) announced on October 4, 2012, that it has signed on to the 2030
Challenge for Products. The 2030 Challenge for Products is a global challenge to
specify and manufacture products that meet a carbon footprint of 30% below the
product average through 2014 and subsequently improve on this reduction: 35% in
2015; 40% in 2020; 45% in 2025; and 50% in 2030. Issued by Architecture 2030,
the 2030 Challenge for Products builds on the widely adopted original 2030
Challenge, which calls for the operation of all new buildings and major
renovations to be carbon neutral by 2030.

In support of the
challenge, NRMCA has become an
EPD Program Operator to facilitate the
development and verification of EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) and
establish industry baselines for concrete. EPDs are third-party verified
(certified) reports published by product manufacturers that provide quality
assured and comparable information regarding environmental performance of their
products. NRMCA has also
helped develop a Product Category Rule (PCR) that provides instructions on how
to conduct and report EPDs.

The concrete industry is
uniquely positioned to meet the challenge of reducing carbon footprint: high
performance concrete wall and floor systems help improve energy performance of
buildings; light colored pavements reduce urban heat islands and minimize
lighting requirements; and concrete is extremely durable and provides for long
service life, thus reducing maintenance and waste. As the industry continues to
develop new sustainable products through research and development, concrete’s
embodied footprint will continue to decrease.

“Through NRMCA’s
participation in the process of establishing industry baselines and facilitating
the movement toward product reporting through EPDs, we hope to accelerate the
concrete industry’s movement toward meeting the 2030 Challenge,” said NRMCA
President Robert Garbini.

Edward Mazria, CEO and
founder of Architecture 2030, added, “This is precisely the kind of industry
program that can help the building sector meet its targets to lower GHG
emissions. We’re incredibly encouraged by the leadership NRMCA is providing to
drive innovation and reduce the carbon footprint of their industry.”

NRMCA’s commitment to
sustainability was outlined in the 2009 report titled NRMCA Sustainability
Initiatives which provides a vision along with strategies and goals for
lowering the environmental footprint of concrete and details research, education
and measurement programs to help its members meet these goals. Further carbon
footprint reduction strategies are being explored through the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) Concrete Sustainability Hub which was established
in 2009 through generous funding from the RMC Research & Education Foundation.
The MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub is exploring ways to reduce the carbon
footprint of buildings and pavements through the use of advanced concrete
building systems and through the development of innovative cements and concrete
mixtures, improved manufacturing processes, use of alternative energy sources
and enhanced transportation efficiency.
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About NRMCA

NRMCA, a non-profit
organization based in Silver Spring, MD, represents the producers of ready mixed
concrete and the companies that provide materials, equipment and support to the
industry. It conducts education, training, promotion, research, engineering,
safety, environmental, technological, lobbying and regulatory programs. For more
information on NRMCA’s Sustainability Initiatives, visit
www.nrmca.org/sustainability.

About Architecture
2030

Architecture 2030, a
nonprofit, non-partisan, and independent organization, was established in
response to the climate change crisis by architect Edward Mazria in 2002. The
2030 goal is straightforward: to achieve a dramatic reduction in the
climate-change-causing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the building sector by
changing the way buildings and developments are planned, designed and
constructed. In 2006, Architecture 2030 developed and issued the widely adopted
2030 Challenge. Subsequent 2030 Challenges for Planning and Products have been
issued and are now being implemented. Visit architecture2030.org or follow
Architecture 2030 on Twitter and Facebook. For additional information on the
2030 Challenge for products, visit
architecture2030.org/2030_challenge/products.